SRA-LGAREC

Published by the SRA-La Granja Agricultural Research and Extension Center La Granja, La Carlota City Negros Occidental, Philippines Phone/Fax (034) 735-0132 www.sra-lgarec.net e-mail: lgarec@yahoo.com Vol. 6 No 1-4 March-May 2004

UPDATES

DA SEC LORENZO VISITS LGARDC

Honorable Luis P. Lorenzo, Secretary of the Department of Agriculture, visited the La Granja Agricultural Research and Development Center (LGARDC), La Granja, La Carlota City on April 29, 2004. The 40-minute stopover was part of the Secretary visit to CFC-Gawad Kalinga site s at Hda. Remedios, La Carlota City, a program being supported by the Department. Secretary Lorenzo was motivated to visit the Center upon learning that it already was a long time since the last visit of a DA Secretary. Employees from different agencies of the LGARDC warmly welcomed him: Sugar Regulatory Administration (SRA), Bureau of plant Industry (BPI), DA-Regional

Integrated Agricultural Research Center (DARIARC), Philippine Carabao Center (PCC) and the University of the Philippines Research and Training Station (UPLBCARTS). During the stopover, Secretary Lorenzo gave an impromptu speech regarding the updates and accomplishments of the government through DA in its efforts to bring quality agricultural services closer to the farmers. The LGARDC employees, encouraged by the heartwarming message from the Secretary, were given the opportunity to an open forum and were promised for another visit. (rtarmones)

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SRA-LGAREC UPDATES ACEF FUNDED PROJECTS

What s new in SRA-LGAREC? Upgrading of the whole station! Funded by the Agricultural Competitiveness Enhancement Fund (ACEF) for Sugar, the Stations upgrading is to increase productivity in sugarcane production thereby increasing farmers income and to ensure the global competitiveness of the Philippine sugar industry. The project, from a proposal prepared by SRA-LGAREC and came to reality through the able leadership of Adm. James C. Ledesma, will generate more ecologically sound and environmentally-friendly technologies such as improvement of cultural farm management practices, utilization of indigenous materials as fertilizer sources, use of biological agents for the control of sugarcane pests, and the development of HYVs resistant to pests and diseases and lessen dependence on pesticides. The new technologies in sugarcane growing will improve cane quality and increase farm yield and income. The project, started on September 2003, includes: 1. Rehabilitation of road networks the eroded asphalt road network within the station is now converted in 4-6 inch thick concrete road. The road network rehabilitation also included the de-clogging of the old drainage system.

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buildings. Screen houses and Pollination sheds will soon follow to hasten the breeding program.

3. Acquisition of modern laboratory equipments modern laboratory equipments were acquired to aid the everchanging demands of research in the station. Biotechnology techniques are now being utilized while an adequate Biotech Lab is being installed. Computerized testing of samples being done in the laboratories together with computer-aided analyses makes research in the station more accurate and competitive.

2. Rehabilitation of Buildings, Greenhouses and Sheds dilapidated and termiteinfested buildings are being rehabilitated. As of this time, the Agro meteorological station is completed, the Agronomy building and the Soils Laboratory are almost done while bidding is on going for the other

4. Rehabilitation of Water Systems the road network going to the water source in Tulo-tulo spring is being rehabilitated while the irrigation system in the experimental fields is about 50% done. Layout of underground pipes is underway while the booster pump is already on standby for immediate testing. Soon, adequate domestic and irrigation water supply will support the needs of the Station. 5. Rehabilitation of Electrical Systems new Caterpillar generating set and transformers were already installed to back-up the old generator. Soon, new electrical lines will be

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SRA-LGAREC UPDATES
installed to rehabilitate old lines connecting the buildings, laboratories and the training center. Uninterrupted electrical supply is much needed in maintaining research and development activities. 6. Establishment of Local Area Network (LAN) while new computer desktops and laptops were acquired to aid the information management of the various working units, a Local Area Network (LAN) was also established. Utilizing the wired and wireless technology, working units is now able to communicate and share information online. While the www.sra-lgarec.net website is being maintained, soon SRA-LGAREC will be connected with the LAN of SRA-Bacolod and of Panay that will also be established under the ACEF fund.

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will soon be a fully functional convention and recreation haven.

8. Acquisition of Vehicles and Farm Implements new vehicles like vans and motorcycles to aid in the transportation needs of the station were acquired while tractors complete with farm implement were provided in the project. Together with the improved irrigation systems these farm implements will pave the way for a more vigorous production and field maintenance.

7. Establishment of modernized training facility ACEF-funded OPSI seminars for the Agrarian Reform Communities are being conducted by the Training Unit of Extension Services Department all over Negros and Panay. Soon, the Clubhouse will be converted into modern Convention Center not only for training and symposia but also for other important functions and gatherings. Presently, state-of-the-art audiovisual and conference equipments have arrived while bidding for the conversion of the Clubhouse is underway. The training center will also include a dormitory and cafeteria. Added to this are the renovation of the tennis courts and the retiling of the swimming pool. Overall, the Clubhouse area

These valuable items and much needed improvements are but dreams of yesterday, and a lot more is still to come! Finally, the challenge of converting the objectives of this

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SRA-LGAREC UPDATES
project into reality is in the hands of the able men and women of SRA-LGAREC. (glrosales)

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herbicide application + three plow cultivations and two row weedings; and, three plow cultivations and three blanket weedings. Pest Control: ?? Sugarcane Stemborers or tamasok Release adult Trichogramma parasites at the rate of 40 strips /ha starting at 1 MAP at P6.00/strip to effectively control stemborers. It is economical for only P240.00 and also safe to use. White Grubs or buk-an Insecticides could be substituted application of lime and the frequent cultivation to minimize pest population. Rodents The substitute for rodenticides to minimize rat populations in the sugarcane fields are sanitation and cultivation.

COST REDUCTION MEASURES IN SUGARCANE GROWING

Production cost in sugarcane growing is getting higher every year due to increasing cost of farm inputs and labor. This could be minimized, without compromising yield, by adopting the following cost reduction measures recommended by the Sugar Regulatory Administration in the growing of plant canes and ratoon crops. Soil Analysis Through soil analysis, correct amount and kind of fertilizers are applied in a specific farm. Unnecessary inputs entail costs. Liming Liming improves the availability of nutrients in the soil and lowers fertilizer recommendations. Organic Farming inorganic fertilizer inputs may be reduced by trash farming, use of rock phosphate, guano, mudpress, bagasse and mill ash or other agricultural products such as chicken and livestock manure. Use of High Grade Fertilizers To satisfy the NPK requirement per hectare based on soil analysis, high-grade fertilizers are more economical to use than the low-grade fertilizers. Rate of Seeding The best population per hectare is 40,000 plants. By planting more than this recommendation will incur about P2,000.00 per additional lacsa of canepoints used. Seedpiece Selection Proper cane point selection at planting reduces costs for replanting. A savings of about P352.75/ha is gained if cane points are properly selected. Replanting When missing hills occur replant the area to complete crop stand and to maximize production per unit area. When using cane points replant 1.0 1- months after planting (MAP) and 2-3 MAP when using chipped tillers. Weed Control For effective weed control at lower costs, timely implement either of the different strategies: three plow cultivations and three row weedings; pre or post-emergence

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Harvesting Supervise harvesting to ensure that operations are properly implemented. To be economical follow the following tips during harvest: ?? Cut canes close to the ground for higher yields and eliminate costs for stubble shaving Observe proper topping at harvest Leave two canepoints when harvesting. Higher rendement can be realized by excluding sugar stalksfor milling. no Mill clean canes Leave all trashes in the field during cane loading and handling. Trashes include cane tops, dried leaves and stalks, bull shoots, weeds, roots and soil particles. Extra cost is paid for trashes that lower sugar rendement.

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Ratooning about P250.00/ha cane be saved when cutting canes close to the ground, due to the skipping of stubble shaving. By trash farming, another P1,050 can be saved due to lesser frequency of weeding and cultivation. By adopting SRA recommendations in s growing sugarcane from planting to harvesting, a total of P42,000 and P29,000 are needed for plant and ratoon crop, respectively. Following the suggested cost reduction measures could reduce this up to P7,000.00 per hectare. ( compiled
by rgentima)

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SRA-LGAREC UPDATES New MS Graduates for SRALGAREC

SRA-LGAREC recently produced two Master of Science Degree holders, Grignion L. Rosales and Rimmon T. Armones. Mr. Grignion L. Rosales graduated on February 2004 with the degree of Master of Science in Management of Agro-Ecological Knowledge and Social Change (MAKS) from Wageningen University in The Netherlands. The MS degree is a hybrid study between the technical and social sciences. The Netherlands Fellowship Program (NFP) financed his 18 months study, which started on September 2002. His graduate thesis entitled Until the Bell Rings Perspectives of Agrarian Reform Beneficiaries on Sugarcane Farming: La Carlota Mill District, Negros Occidental, Philippines was conducted among beneficiaries of the Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program (CARP). The study was conceptualized as a contribution to the improvement of the sugarcane technology transfer and adoption in the context of agrarian beneficiaries. Focusing on small-scale sugarcane farmers he was able to acquire valuable information on farmers perception, which is found to affect valuation of sugarcane production technologies, and the eventual decision to adopt or reject the same. It also included the support system and the effects of various contexts in agrarian reformed areas and how these are translated into farming practices. His findings reiterated that low sugarcane production is not due to lack of knowledge on sugarcane production but rather on limited access to production inputs, resources and a level playing field to articulate farmers needs and local knowledge.

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Mr. Rimmon T. Armones, on the other hand, graduated on April 24, 2004 with the degree Master of Science in Plant Breeding at the University of the Philippines Los Baos that was made possible through a scholarship grant given by PCARRD and valuable support from SRA. His graduate thesis entitled Amplified Fragment Length Polymorphism Analysis of Genetic Variability in Selected Philippine Sugarcane (Saccharum officinarum, L.) Breeding Materials was considered one of the pioneering molecular studies on sugarcane in the Philippines. The study was conducted at the Institute of Plant Breeding, UPLB and was funded by PCARRD, PHILSURIN and IPB. The results of his study will be utilized as one of the bases for selection of parental clones and in the prediction of hybrid performance in the Sugarcane Variety Improvement Program (SVIP) of SRA. (glrosales/rtarmones)

2004 SUMMER FARM PRACTICE

As member-agency of the La Granja Agricultural Research and Development Center (LGARDC), SRA-LGAREC involved its technical and extension personnel in training students from different agricultural colleges and universities in Western Visayas. The students were trained for a month, during the summer break, through actual exposure in the field complementing the knowledge they acquire in the classrooms. At SRA-LGAREC, topics on sugarcane growing were provided to the students in the form of lectures, field and laboratory works. This year Summer Farm Practice started s on April 19 and ended on May 21. The batch was composed of 26 students from the University of Negros Occidental-Recoletos (UNO-R) and 5 students from La Carlota City College (LCCC).
(rgentima)

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